Copper plate can be used as cathode but it cannot be used as anode in electrolysis of water,why?
In electrolysis of water, water (H2O) molecules are split into hydrogen gas (H2) and oxygen gas (O2) using an electric current. This process involves two electrodes, one called the cathode and the other called the anode.
During the electrolysis of water, the cathode attracts positively charged ions (cations) and facilitates reduction reactions, where the ions gain electrons. Conversely, the anode attracts negatively charged ions (anions) and facilitates oxidation reactions, where the ions lose electrons.
Now, copper is a metal that is commonly used as a cathode in electrolysis processes because it has a low reduction potential. This means that copper has a strong tendency to gain electrons and be reduced. When copper is used as a cathode in the electrolysis of water, it attracts positively charged hydrogen ions (H+), allowing them to gain electrons and form hydrogen gas (H2).
However, copper cannot be used as an anode in the electrolysis of water because it has a high oxidation potential. Copper has a strong tendency to lose electrons and be oxidized, but in the case of water electrolysis, the oxidation reactions occur at the anode. If copper were used as the anode, it would corrode and dissolve into the solution, rather than facilitating the desired oxidation reactions to produce oxygen gas.
So, to summarize, copper can be used as a cathode in the electrolysis of water because it readily facilitates reduction reactions. However, it cannot be used as an anode because it has a high oxidation potential and would not effectively facilitate the desired oxidation reactions.